Informa makes merger £9bn main event

Informa, the company behind the annual Monaco Yacht Show, is seeking a tie-up with UBM, which hosts more than 300 business-to-business events each yearC4

The world’s largest operator of business events and exhibitions will be created after Informa agreed to acquire UBM in a £9 billion deal.

Informa, whose shows include World of Concrete and World Tea Expo, struck a deal to buy UBM for £3.8 billion in cash and shares yesterday, in a deal that the two groups claim will create savings of £50 million a year.

Talks between UBM and Informa a decade ago broke down when face-to-face networking looked to be on the wane. Now, however, conferences and events are considered to be a resilient part of the troubled media business.

Informa said that the purchase would give it greater scale and specialisation in events, which is the fastest-growing part of its business. More events will…